Is it Healthy to Get a Massage Everyday?

Massage is quickly becoming a non-pharmaceutical alternative for all sorts of chronic diseases. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projected an almost 32% increase in the demand for massage therapists by 2029.

The reason for this demand is evident. As more people live longer, they have to cope with chronic musculoskeletal and systemic disorders that come with aging. And not just aging, more and more people are turning to massage therapy as an effective way to treat conditions associated with stress and anxiety.

Is it healthy to get a massage every day? Yes, it is beneficial to get a massage every day. But it depends on the type of massage and pre-existing health conditions.

Examples of massages you can get everyday:

Swedish massage
Face massage
aromatherapy massage
Ayurvedic massage
reflexology massage

You might have some questions like:

Can too much massage be bad for me?
What types of massage can I get everyday?
How often should I have a massage?
Is it safe for me to have a massage every day?

Keep reading to find out.

Factors that Determine How Often You Should Get a Massage

Before concluding if massage therapy should be received every day, you should first know that different factors affect the frequency of a massage.

Massage therapy, just like any other alternative health treatment, is given by certified professionals who tailor therapies to individual needs.

No two clients are ever the same; even if they may have the exact needs, there are different modalities to attend to those needs.

Examples:

Underlying Medical Conditions

Before deciding if a client should receive daily massage, the therapist will want to assess the client’s medical conditions, including previous surgical histories and even drug histories.

Some conditions are absolutely contraindicated for massage. Some are relatively contraindicated and require that massage be kept to the smallest frequency.

For example, a client with localized non-metastasized cancer has a relative contraindication for a massage and is not an ideal client for daily massage.

Other relative conditions that are usually not ideal for daily massage include congestive cardiac conditions, joint instability, joint hypermobility, lymphedema, osteoporosis, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, hypotension, and others.

Type of Massage Modality

There are different massage modalities. The frequency of a massage is heavily dependent on these massage modalities.

For example, a Swedish massage that requires light and soft massage techniques for relaxation can be done daily. Other methods that can be done daily include aromatherapy, Ayurvedic massage, and reflexology.

On the other hand, a deep tissue massage like sports massage done for clients with sports or occupational injuries is not done every day. To understand the reason for this, you have first to understand the importance of rest and recovery for muscle growth and development.

During a deep tissue massage, muscle fibers are activated and quickened. Metabolic demand, blood flow, and lymph drainage are increased, blood cells are also activated.

During rest, the muscle cells can then benefit from the effects of all these responses. If a sports massage or any other type of deep tissue massage is done too frequently, muscle fibers are at risk of fatigue, soreness, and even injury.

Individual Factors

Before deciding if a massage a day is ideal, you should consider your factors. And by this, we don’t mean just medical conditions. For example, you have to consider the aim of the massage.

Ask yourself,

what do I want to achieve with this massage?
Can this achievement be gotten daily?
On alternate days? Or at another frequency?

If you can’t answer these questions, you should consider speaking to a massage therapist for guidance.

You should also consider your financial capacity. As you know, massage therapies are not cheap. So you will want to consider the cost and the sustainable massage schedule for you. You should also evaluate your financial capacity.

Are there unique physiological conditions that would prevent you from enjoying a daily massage? For example, are you a senior citizen? Are you pregnant? Or are you considering a daily massage for your child, infant, or teenager?

Athletes without injuries can benefit from daily massage to keep their muscles supple and pliant. This isn’t so for an athlete with sports injuries who will require rest and recovery for wound healing and tissue repair.

A client with severe pain can benefit from daily massage, as long as the massage is not intense and doesn’t worsen the client’s pain.

Do you see what we mean by individual factors?

How Often Should I Get a Massage?

Your ideal massage schedule depends on your needs, the massage modality, and if you have underlying medical conditions.

The frequency of your message should be decided after an interview session with a licensed massage therapist.

Massage therapists are trained to evaluate clients and carry out a series of assessments to be sure that they create an ideal massage therapy plan that is best adapted to their client’s unique needs.

Like we said earlier, no two clients are the same. Their needs may be a little different, but attending to them is never the same.

Now its time to hear from you:

How many messages do you think are too many?

Why do you want to get a massage every day?

Whatever your answer is, let’s see it in the comments below.